Humanity - the Next 50 and 500 Years - Eddy Lee Wai-choi - 文宇宙｜Bookniverse

Book infoHumanity stands at a crossroads. The path we choose could lead either to the collapse of civilization, with horrendous suffering to follow, or to a new renaissance, where humankind reaches for the stars. The outcome hinges on our decisions and actions—or lack thereof—taken now and in the coming decades. It's a daunting prospect. Yet, ready or not, we are the chosen generation, and there's no escape from the 'fierce urgency of now.'In this book, Lee Wai-choi, Eddy, former Senior Scientific Officer of the Hong Kong Royal Observatory and renowned science writer, begins with a comprehensive yet insightful survey of civilization's evolution since the Agricultural Revolution. He explains how we have arrived at this juncture in history before unveiling key features of the contemporary scene and highlighting the formidable challenges ahead. Using the next 50 and 500 years as reference points, he poses relevant questions and offers bold predictions for humanity under various scenarios. Both pessimists and optimists will find ample food for thought here, perhaps even enough to last a lifetime.Abraham Lincoln once said, 'If we could first know where we are, and whither we are tending, we could then better judge what to do, and how to do it.' This book serves as an indispensable tool to help us understand 'where we are, and whither we are tending.' It will transform the way you look at the world and offer valuable insights on how we should shape our future.Table of ContentPrefaceChapter 1 The Ascent of Civilization: Blessings and Curse1.1From Nature to Culture: Memetic Evolution1.2Agricultural Revolution and the Rise of Civilization1.3The Agricultural Trap1.4Money Makes the World1.5The Great Axial Age and the First EnlightenmentChapter 2 The Road to Modernity: Liberation and Alienation2.1 Rise of the West and Global Domination2.2 The Second Enlightenment2.3 Industrial Revolution and the Rise of CapitalismChapter 3 Contemporary Scene (1): the Unique Century3.1 A Pivotal Point in History3.2 Compound Growth and the Ecological Crisis3.3 Urge of Capital: the Hard Logic of Economic Growth Chapter 4 Contemporary Scene (2): Return of the New Right4.1 The Onslaught of Neoliberalism4.2 Trickle-Up Economics and the Precariat4.3 The Trap of Managerialism4.4 The Expanding CircleChapter 5 Contemporary Scene (3): War, Peace and Democracy5.1 Geopolitics and the Prospects of War5.2 Democracy Vs DespotismChapter 6 Contemporary Scene (4): Technology Runs Amok6.1 Knowledge Explosion and the Technological Threat6.2 The Nightmare of 19846.3 Life 3.0 and Technological Singularity6.4 The Technological TrapChapter 7 Predicting the Future: Lure and Trappings 7.1 Lure of the Crystal Ball7.2 From Dialectical Historicism to Psychohistory7.3 Stochastic and Dynamical Forecasts7.4 Courage and ImaginationChapter 8 2070 – 50 Years into the Future (Part 1)8.1 History Past and Future8.2 Knowing What Questions to Ask8.3 Nature’s Red Card8.4 The End of GrowthChapter 9 2070 – 50 Years into the Future (Part 2)9.1 Changes Beyond Numbers9.2 Will There Be a WWIII?9.3 Permafrost Timebomb Triggered?9.4 From Political Democracy to Economic Democracy9.5 World Government a Reality?9.6 A New Renaissance and Rebuilding CivilizationChapter 10 2520 – 500 Years into the Future10.1 How Long is 500 Years?10.2 Longevity and Immortality10.3 The Midas Touch?10.4 Withering of the Nations?10.5 Humanity’s Interstellar Diaspora10.6 Humankind Beyond Recognition?10.7 We Are Not Alone, or Are We?10.8 The Questions We Don’t Know…Concluding Thoughts: The End of Childhood, or The End?